Accounting Office Management & Administration Report

Is your firm exploring potential mergers? If so—or if you are just considering it and want to understand the state of the marketplace—then ideas from a firm that has made a success of mergers and acquisitions can help you prepare.

Would you like to see your firm’s revenues increase by 10 percent or more? The answer to that question is clear: Of course!

It may be turnover—not the economy—that is your CPA firm’s greatest enemy right now. Losing key staff can harm your efforts to provide cohesive and continuous client service and to build a next-generation leadership pool. Other opportunities may tempt staff, but there are steps your firm can take to fight turnover and retain your most valuable talent.

Whether it is recruiting, technology, or any other practice management initiative, firm administrators and directors of administration can be marvels at coming up with the right answers.

If you are concerned that spending on training may be the first to go as owners review expenditures in light of the changing economy, you need to take action. Cutting training is not necessarily the action to take, however. A realistic budget and ways to show how training contributes to the bottom line are much better and more positive reactions to the current environment.

How Far Have CPA Firms Come With Succession Planning? Why Now Is the Time to Begin—or Expand—a Mentoring & Coaching Program Marketing ‘Musts’ for the Changing Economic Scene The ‘New’ COOs: Is It Time for Your Firm to Add One to Your Leadership Ranks? The Latest & Greatest Technology Developments to Consider Implementing …

HOW CPA FIRMS SHARE FILES & OTHER CLIENT INFORMATION NOW Now that so many CPA firms have embraced a digital environment, firms can share information with clients in ways that go far beyond the traditional printouts of tax returns and audit reports. Electronic formats including e-mail, portals, fax machines, CDs, and USB flash drives are gaining in popularity. …

Emerging Partner Training Forum, Scottsdale, Ariz., June 3-4. Contact: AICPA, 888-777-7077; www.cpa2biz.com/conferences AAM Summit 2008, San Diego, June 4-6. Contact: Association for Accounting Marketing, 816-221-1296; info@accountingmarketing.org; www.accountingmarketing.org National Restaurants Conference, Las Vegas, June 9-10. Contact: AICPA, 888-777-7077; www.cpa2biz.com/conferences AICPA TechConference, Las Vegas, June 9-11. Contact: AICPA, 888-777-7077; www.cpa2biz.com/conferences NABA 37th Annual National Convention, Atlanta, June 10-14.Contact: National Association of Black Accountants, 301-474-NABA or 888-571-2939; customerservice@nabainc.org; www.nabainc.org …